Whole, unpolished rice is unprocurable in
the bazaars. It is beautiful to look at and rich and sweet to the taste.
Mills can never compete with this unpolished rice. It is husked in a
simple manner. Most of the paddy can be husked in alight chakki without
difficulty. There are some varieties the husk of which is not separated
by grinding. The best way of treating such paddy is to boil it first and
then separate the chaff from the grain. This rice, it is said is most
nutritious and , naturally, the cheapest. In the villages, if they husk
their own paddy, it must always be cheaper for the peasants than the
corresponding mill husked rice, whether polished or unpolished. The
majority of rice found in ordinarily in the bazaars is always more or
less polished, whether hand-husked or mill husked. Wholly unpolished
rice is always hand husked and is every time cheaper than the
mill-husked rice, the variety being the same.

Harijan, 25-1-1935

Wheat

The branless (wheat) flour is as bad as
polished rice is the universal testimony of medical men. Whole –wheat
flour ground in one’s chakki is any day superior to, and cheaper because
the cost of grinding is saved. Again, in the whole-wheat there is no
loss of weight. In fine flour there is loss of wheat. The richest part
of wheat is contained in its bran. There is a terrible loss of nutrition
when the bran of whet is removed. The villagers and others who eat
whole-wheat flour ground in their own chakki save their money and, what
is more important their health. A large part of the millions that
flour-mills make will remain in and circulate among the deserving poor
when village grinding is revived.

Harijan, 1-2-1935

Cereals

Another physician quotes a text against
the use of sprouted pulses but he too lacks actual experience for
supporting his text. And this has been my complaint against many
Ayurvedic physicians. I have no doubt that there is abundant ancient
wisdom buried in the Sanskrit medical works. Our physicians appear to be
too lazy to unearth that wisdom in the real sense of the term. They are
satisfied with merely repeating the printed formula. Even as a layman I
know many virtues are claimed for several Ayurvedic preparations. But
where is their use, of they cannot be demonstrated today? I plead for
the sake of this ancient science for a spirit of genuine search among
our Ayurvedic physicians. I am as anxious as the tallest among them can
be to free ourselves from the tyranny of Western medicines which are
ruinously expensive and the preparation of which takes no count of the
higher humanities

Young India, 8-8-1929

Milk

It is my firm conviction that man need
take no milk at all, beyond the mother’s milk that he takes as a baby.
His diet should consist of nothing but sunbaked fruits and nuts. He can
secure enough nourishment both for the tissues and the nerves from
fruits like grapes and nuts like almonds. Restraint of the sexual and
other passions becomes easy for a man who lives on such food. My
co-workers and I have seen by experience that there is much truth in the
Indian proverb that as a man eats, so shall he become.

Autobiography, p. 200, Edn. 1958

Honey

My own experience of taking honey mixed
with hot water extends to more than four years. I have experienced no
ill-effect what so ever. Objection has also been raised against has, I
admit, considerable force though the western method of gathering honey
is cleaner and less I should have to cut down many things I take or use.
But life is not governed by strict logic. It is an organic growth,
seemingly irregular, growth following its own law and logic. Western
doctors bestrow high praise upon it. Most of them who condemn the use of
sugar in unmeasured terms speak highly of honey which they say does not
irritate as refined sugar or even gur does.

Young India, 8-8-1929

Gur

According to medical testimony gur is any
day superior to refined sugar in food value, and if the villagers cease
to make gur as they are beginning to do, they will be deprived of an
important food adjunct for their children. They may do without gur
themselves, but their children cannot without undermining their stamina.
Retention of gur and its use by the people in general mean several
crores of rupees retained by the villagers.

Harijan, 1-2-1935

Fruits

No one perhaps, as far as I know, has
eaten as much fruit as I have, having lived for six years on entirely
fruits and nuts and always having has a liberal supply of fruit as part
of my ordinary diet. But I had in my mind, when writing, the special
conditions of India. Its people should have, by reason of its extent and
variety of climate, a most liberal supply of fruits, vegetables and
milk. Yet it is the poorest country in this respect. I therefore
suggested what seemed to me to be feasible. But I heartily endorse the
proposition that for retaining health fresh fruit and fresh vegetables
should form the main part of our diet. It is for there medical
profession to study the peculiar condition of India and suggest the list
of vegetables and villages for local consumption. Wild berries , for
instance, sale but can be used for the picking. This is a vast field for
research. It can bring neither money nor perhaps fame. But it may earn
the gratitude of dumb millions.

Harijan, 15-3-1942

I had introduced to me the leaves of
sarsav, suwa, turnip-tops, carrot-tops, radish-tops and pea-nut leaves.
Besides these, it is hardly necessary to state that the radish, turnip
and carrot tubers are also known to be edible in their raw state. It is
waste of money and ‘good’ taste, to cook these leaves or tubers. The
vitamins contained in these vegetables are wholly or partially lost in
cooking. I have called cooking these waste of ‘good’ taste because the
uncooked vegetables have a natural good taste of their own which is
destroyed by cooking.

Harijan, 15-2-1935

Condiments

Common salt may be rightly counted as the
king among condiments. Many people cannot eat their food without it. The
body requires certain salts and common salt is one of them. These salts
occur naturally in the various foodstuffs but when food is cooked in an
unscientific way, e.g. throwing away the water in which rice, potatoes
or other vegetables have been boiled, the supply becomes inadequate. The
deficiency then has to be made up by a separate addition of salts. As
common salt is one of the most essential salts for the body. It might be
supplemented in small quantities.
But several condiments are not required by
the body as a general rule, e.g. chilies fresh or dry, peper, turmeric,
coriander, caraway, mustard, methi, asafotida etc. These are taken for
the satisfaction of the palate. My opinion based on my personal
experience of fifty years, is that not one of these is needed to keep
perfectly healthy. Those whose digestion has become very feeble might
take these things as medicines for a certain length of time, if
considered necessary. But one should make it a point to avoid their use
for the satisfaction of the palate. All condiments, even salt, destroy
the natural flavor of vegetables and cereals. etc. Those whose palate
has not become vitiated enjoy the natural flavor of the foodstuffs much
more than after the addition of salt should be taken when necessary as
an adjunct. As for chilies, they burn the mouth and irritate the
stomach. Those who are not in habit of taking chilies cannot bear them
in the beginning. I have seen several cases of sore mouth caused by the
taking of chilies. I know of one case who was very fond of chilies, and
an excessive use resulted in his premature death.